David D. Thompson

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This article is about the U.S. Space Force general. For people with similar names, see David Thompson.

David D. Thompson
Official portrait, 2023
Nickname(s)DT
Born (1963-02-18) February 18, 1963 (age 61)
Ambridge, Pennsylvania, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
Branch
United States Air Force
Years of service
1985–2020 (Air Force)
  • 2020–2023 (Space Force)
RankGeneral
Commands held
Vice Chief of Space Operations
Awards
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Alma mater
United States Air Force Academy (BS)
Signature
David D. Thompson's voice
Thompson's opening statement at a House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee hearing on military readiness
Recorded July 19, 2022

David Dean Thompson (born February 18, 1963) is a retired

Air Force Space Command
from 2018 to 2020.

Born and raised in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, Thompson entered the United States Air Force in 1985 after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy. He studied at Purdue University and at Johannes Kepler University Linz as an Olmsted Scholar. A career space operations officer, he has commanded the 2nd Space Launch Squadron, 45th Operations Group, and Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado. He has served assignments in operations, acquisition, research and development, and academia.

In 2018, Thompson was assigned to Washington, D.C. to serve as the liaison of

Air Force Space Command to the Pentagon and Congress
during the creation of the Space Force. In October 2020, he transferred to the Space Force and assumed as the first vice chief of space operations. He was promoted to general, becoming the second general in the Space Force. He retired from the Space Force in 2023.

After retiring from the Space Force, Thompson joined the advisory board of HawkEye 360.

Early life and education

Born and raised in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, David Dean Thompson was born on February 18, 1963.[1][2] He graduated in Ambridge Area High School in 1981.[3]

Thompson received a B.S. in

professional military education.[4][5]

Military career

Thompson as a USAFA cadet

Thompson received his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force from the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) on May 29, 1985.[6]

General Goldfein (left) promotes Thompson (right) to lieutenant general, 2018

From 1985 to 1988, Thompson was assigned at the Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory at Edwards Air Force Base, California, as an experimental rocket propulsion engineer and chief of motor/component operations section. After that, he studied for a year at Purdue University. After receiving his graduate from Purdue, he went back to USAFA, now as an instructor of astronautics, assistant professor, and executive officer, for three years from 1989 to 1992. He continued his studies from 1992 to 1995 at the Presidio of Monterey, California and Johannes Kepler University Linz.[5]

In 1995, Thompson returned to the United States, assigned at

Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, as operations officer and commander of the 2nd Space Launch Squadron.[5]

General Raymond promoting Thompson to general of the U.S. Space Force, 2020

In June 2005, Thompson took command of the

United States Air Forces Central Command for a year.[5]

After his deployment, Thompson was promoted to brigadier general and served as vice commander of the

Offut Air Force Base, Nebraska, first as the deputy director for global operations and then as director of plans and policy.[5]

Thompson receives a briefing at Buckley Space Force Base, 2023

From July 2015 to July 2017, he served as the Air Force Space Command's then-two-star vice commander. That position was then renamed as AFSPC deputy commander in 2017 with Thompson serving as the special assistant to the AFSPC commander. In 2018, the AFSPC planned to revive the vice commander position, turning it into a position for a three-star general after Congress nixed plans on creating a deputy chief of staff for space operations position.[7] On April 4, 2018, he then resumed his previous position as AFSPC vice commander, promoted to lieutenant general.[8]

With the redesignation of the AFSPC as the newly created United States Space Force on December 20, 2019, Thompson retained his position as vice commander of the Space Force. In August 2020, he was nominated for transfer to the Space Force at his current rank of lieutenant general.[9] He was also nominated for appointment to the rank of general[10] and assignment as the first vice chief of space operations.[11][12] He was confirmed by the Senate on September 30, 2020,[10] and assumed rank following day.[13] Thompson assumed office on October 2.[14]

In October 2020, Thompson tested positive for COVID-19 after a family member who he was in contact with tested positive.[15] He was asymptomatic and returned to work on November 9, 2020, after an 11-day quarantine.[16]

Thompson retired from the Space Force on December 14, 2023.[17]

Civilian career

In March 2024, HawkEye 360 announced that Thompson was selected as a member of their advisory board. "I was drawn to HawkEye 360 by the vision and passion of the company leadership to serve the security needs of the nation and its Armed Forces," Thompson wrote.[18]

Awards and decorations

Air Force Association
's Jerome F. O'Malley Distinguished Space Leadership Award, 2011

Thompson is the recipient of the following awards and decorations:[13]

Command Space Operations Badge
Basic Parachutist Badge
Air Force Master Acquisition and Financial Management Badge
Basic Missile Maintenance Badge
Space Staff
Badge
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 crimson ribbon with two width-8 white stripes at distance 4 from the edges.
 Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Meritorious Unit Award
with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
National Reconnaissance Office Distinguished Service Medal (gold medal)[13]
Bronze star
Width=44 scarlet ribbon with a central width-4 golden yellow stripe, flanked by pairs of width-1 scarlet, white, Old Glory blue, and white stripes
 National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon
Silver oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Longevity Service Award
with one silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon

Dates of promotion

An airman unfurls Thompson's positional color, the first for a VCSO, during his promotion ceremony to general, 2020
Rank Branch Date[13]
Second lieutenant
 Air Force May 29, 1985
First lieutenant
 May 29, 1987
Captain May 29, 1989
Major August 1, 1996
Lieutenant colonel May 1, 2000
Colonel August 1, 2004
Brigadier general June 18, 2010
Major general October 10, 2013
Lieutenant general April 4, 2018
General Space Force October 1, 2020

Writings

  • "Space Force is needed to provide for and protect America's use of space". The Hill. September 19, 2023.
  • With Gregory Gagnon and Christopher W. McLeod (Summer 2018). "Space as a War-fighting Domain" (PDF). Air and Space Power Journal. 32 (2): 4–8.
  • The Need for a Dedicated Space Vehicle for Defensive Counterspace Operations (PDF) (M.S.). Air Command and Staff College. April 1998. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 12, 2021.

References

  1. ^ Polaris (PDF). Vol. XXVII. Colorado Springs, Colorado: United States Air Force Academy. 1985. p. 84. Retrieved February 21, 2019.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ "Persons born on 18 February 1963, DAVID ALAN TROXEL to DENO S. MONTEIRO". sortedbybirthdate.com.
  3. ^ Prose, J.D. (June 15, 2019). "Air Force Lt. Gen. David Thompson, an Ambridge native, tours RMU simulation center". Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  4. ^ "David D Thompson" (PDF). apps.dtic.mil. Retrieved December 24, 2022.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ a b c d e "General David D. Thompson". United States Space Force. October 2020.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ Schurr, Marjorie A. (June 18, 2019). "Steel foundation: Locally-born general comes home to tell AF story". Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  7. ^ Erwin, Sandra (January 17, 2018). "Air Force to create three-star 'vice commander' post to manage space activities". SpaceNews. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  8. ^ "Air Force establishes Pentagon-based AFSPC vice commander position". af.mil. Retrieved May 22, 2020.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  9. ^ "PN2164 — Lt. Gen. David D. Thompson — Space Force". congress.gov. August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  10. ^ a b "PN2163 — Lt. Gen. David D. Thompson — Space Force". congress.gov. August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  11. ^ "General Officer Announcement". defense.gov. August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  12. ^ Erwin, Sanra (August 8, 2020). "With Thompson's nomination, U.S. Space Force leadership takes shape". SpaceNews. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d "General David D. Thompson". United States Space Force. October 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2021.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  14. ^ Kirby, Lynn (October 4, 2020). "First-ever Vice CSO joins U.S. Space Force". SpaceForce.mil. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  15. ^ Bote, Joshua (October 29, 2020). "Space Force's second-in-command Gen. David D. Thompson tests positive for COVID-19". USA Today. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  16. ^ Cohen, Rachel (August 14, 2021). "Here's what the Space Force's No. 2 officer learned from having COVID-19". Air Force Times. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  17. ^ "VCSO Thompson clap out". DVIDS.
  18. ^ "HawkEye 360 announces the crucial role of the company's Advisory Board Class of 2024". SatNews. March 29, 2024.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to David D. Thompson.
Military offices
Preceded by Commander of the Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado
2007–2009 		Succeeded by
Stephen T. Denker
Preceded by Vice Commander of the
Air Force Warfare Center

2010–2011 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Director of Air, Space and Cyberspace Operations of the
Air Force Space Command

2011–2012 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Director for Global Operations of the United States Strategic Command
2012–2014 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Director for Plans and Policy of the United States Strategic Command
2014–2015
Preceded by Vice Commander of the
Air Force Space Command

2015–2017 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Special Assistant to the Commander of the
Air Force Space Command

2017–2018 		Position abolished
New office Vice Commander of the
Air Force Space Command, later United States Space Force

2018–2020 		Position renamed
New office Vice Chief of Space Operations
2020–2023 		Succeeded by
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